1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to truck beds and SUV rear compartments and attachable deck extensions therefore, and more particularly, to a composite/plastic sliding extension plate attached to a truck bed or bedliner or SUV rear compartment by a base plate having molded rails of metal, plastic, or composite to facilitate the controlled movement of the extension plate, the movement of the extension plate being manually or motor actuated.
2. Prior Art
The present invention relates to motor vehicles specifically relating to an improvement in the utility of the cargo area of such vehicles. With the proliferation of compact, mid-size, full-size pickup trucks with short beds and recent developments of hybrid vehicles capable of being converted into pickups to closed rear compartment configurations, limitation is placed on the ability of vehicle owners to effectively haul longer items typically accommodated by longer beds (e.g., a 4 foot×8 foot sheet of plywood.)
Owners of hybrid pickup/SUV vehicles, find difficulty in accessing the enclosed rear deck even with the tailgate down and with one or more top panels removed. Additionally, designers of these vehicles choose lining materials for the floor and walls of these compartments which have high coefficients of friction so that contents tend to remain stationary by reason of their “adhesion” to the surface. Added to the awkward access to such compartments, the difficulty in sliding something over this high friction surface dramatically decreases the utility of the vehicle. Simple activities such as grocery shopping are made difficult if not impossible by a person of small stature and even larger, stronger users have trouble reaching and moving items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,034 to Coleman et al. discloses a “drop-in” bed liner/deck extension which addresses a number of the difficulties described and while extension is provided, the attachment methods described, do not allow for safe transport of heavier items for which the vehicle is designed (typically 1000.lbs for a half-ton pickup) nor does it describe any motor means for moving the extension when it may be so loaded and while a braking means is therein described, it does not provide for braking at any point of extension, relying as it does upon a series of holes into which a brake pin is inserted.
Concerning the proliferation of multiple purpose vehicles such as SUVs, vans and station wagons, the rear cargo area is subjected to a drivers range of uses by consumers such as hauling groceries, luggage, golf clubs, and other valuable and sometimes fragile items. A problem faces by owners of such vehicles is how to restrain smaller items or compartmentalize the space to keep items separate. An additional problem is the discomfort and potential for back injury associated with the necessity of leaning into the cargo area for loading and unloading of heavy cargo items.
The present invention addresses these problems and while it shares in common with U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,034 to Coleman et al., the use of interlocking rails between a base member and a sliding extension member, it differs in the attachment, motorization, braking, and construction of these components and presents a modular “L” bracket design allowing for the creation of storage/containment areas anywhere over the surface of the bed extension. Additionally, the present invention is, by reason of its fixture to the vehicle as a bolt-on (or other sufficient attachment means known in the art) insert to the rear deck, more substantial in its capacity to safely manage heavy loads.
In accordance with the present invention, a base mounting platform is affixed to the bed/deck of a motor vehicle (i.e., pickup truck, SUV or hybrid, etc.) and a slideable bed extension attached by interlocking rails molded or otherwise formed between the base and the bed extension, is provided along with a motorized means of moving the bed extension and a braking means for retaining it in a chosen position and a series of attachable partitions to form compartments by which items being transported may be contained or constrained.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
    1. To provide a vehicle bed floor with an integrated sliding bed extension to increase the utility of shorter beds for hauling longer items;    2. To have the bed extension available to facilitate ease of loading and unloading of items stored within the vehicle cargo area.    3. To provide a two piece interlocking base/bed extension to be firmly affixed to the existing vehicle bed or deck which is simple in its operation as well as its manufacture.    4. To provide a durable deck surface on the bed extension which has a plurality of holes drilled or formed to accommodate the positioning of modular partitions for containing or restraining items being transported.    5. To provide motorization whereby the bed extension can be moved even while heavily laden.    6. To provide a braking means by which the bed extension can be locked in any position of deployment.    7. To provide support skids interposed between the base and the bed extension, which ride over the face of the lowered tail gate as the extension is moved across it.    8. To provide low friction bearing surfaces interposed between the base and the bed liner.